Former Rapids allrounder takes three and strikes 65* as Warwickshire top Group B with nine-wicket win

ECB Reporters Network13-Aug-2023Warwickshire seamers Oliver Hannon Dalby and Ed Barnard demolished Worcestershire Rapids with the new ball to maintain their side’s unbeaten record in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a resounding nine-wicket success at New Road.Hannon-Dalby and former Worcestershire allrounder Barnard bowled superbly in seam-friendly conditions under cloudy skies to reduce the home side to 25 for 5 during the initial Powerplay. Hannon-Dalby later returned to complete the second List A five-for of his career and he is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps.He ended with figures of 5 for 31 from 10 overs, while Barnard ended with 3 for 14 from six overs. Only Matthew Waite (44) offered much resistance as the Rapids were dismissed for 108 in 30.2 overs. Barnard then excelled in the opener’s role in partnership with Rob Yates as Warwickshire made light work of their modest target in just 16.2 overs.He completed a 35 ball half-century, his third in this year’s competition, and only six runs were needed for victory when Yates (34) fell to spinner Josh Baker. It means Warwickshire have won their opening four games and they are well on course to reach the knockout stages. Despite this setback, the Rapids remain in contention to qualify after triumphing in three of their five matches to date.Worcestershire were put into bat on the same pitch used for Thursday’s win over Gloucestershire when they amassed 375 for 7. They had to initially battle against the new ball in seamer-friendly conditions on that occasion and only lost a wicket during the powerplay. It was a different story today as Hannon-Dalby and Barnard bowled superbly.Oliver Hannon-Dalby prepares to deliver the ball•Getty ImagesBarnard was first to strike when Gareth Roderick, a century-maker against Gloucestershire, pushed hard at a delivery and was pouched by Rob Yates at first slip. Ed Pollock collected the first boundary of the innings with a lofted straight drive at Barnard’s expense but Hannon-Dalby picked up two wickets in the next over.Rob Jones took a stride forward but outside-edged another catch to Yates and captain Jake Libby pushed forward and nicked through to keeper Michael Burgess. There was no let-up in the pressure exerted by the opening pair and Pollock was bowled by a Barnard delivery which nipped back in.Kashif Ali adopted an aggressive approach and lofted Hannon-Dalby for six over long on but it was his only scoring stroke. He tried to put the pressure back on the bowlers and came well forward to Barnard but fell to a fine legside catch by Burgess away to his left.Ben Cox and Waite joined forces and more than doubled the score in adding 33 before the former attempted to cut Michael Booth and presented Yates with another catch. Waite looked in good touch, pulling Booth for four and on drive Craig Miles to the boundary.Logan van Beek gave him good support in a partnership of 28 but there was nothing the Netherland international could do when a delivery from Hannon-Dalby popped up off a length and he fended it to gulley. Hannon-Daly then struck with successive deliveries in his final over.Having battled away for 44 off 60 balls, Waite was bowled by a ball of full length and a similar delivery trapped Baker LBW. Dillon Pennington survived the hat-trick ball but the pace bowler was neatly stumped off Jake Lintott to wrap up the innings.Worcestershire needed early wickets to have any hope of putting their opponents under pressure and Barnard got off the mark with an inside edge for four against Joe Leach. But there were few other alarms for the openers and Barnard upper cut Waite for six to third man and pulled the same bowler through mid-wicket to complete a 35-ball fifty with seven fours and a six.Baker ended the partnership by accounting for Yates but Barnard hit the winning boundary in the next over to conclude a one-sided contest. His unbeaten 65 contained one six and 10 fours.